The Little Triton: A Dungeons and Disney Tale
by Master Ghostly Crossbow
Summary: Ariel longed to be an adventurer, and travel the world, and when she was 18, she got her chance. However, something in the shadows yearns for power, and Ariel's voice is the key to getting it.


Ariel Velemei, Princess of the Tritons, was a curious child, so it was no wonder when she asked her father to take her to the mysterious place above the sea. Ariel was instantly captivated by all the smells, colors, and people on the surface. She started going there more and more often, being welcomed with open arms by the townsfolk. She even made a friend out of an old sailor man by the name of Vanroe, by taking the time to listen to his stories.

"There I was, facin' down a serpent the size of my ship, or even bigger!" The grizzled old man said as he demonstrated the motions of the beast in his tale.

"Then, I leapt onto the beast's back, climbed up to its head, and..."

Ariel giggled as she and her friend shouted together "PUNCHED IT IN THE EYE!"

She leaned forward, fin-like ears quivering in eagerness. "Weren't you scared?"

Vanroe laughed, and said, "Of course I was scared. Who wouldn't be? Thing is, I don't let a little thing like fear stop me from doin' what's right, and that filthy reptile had been attacking ships and stopping anyone from haulin' up enough fish to feed the town."

The girl was awestruck. "So, you beat it up all by yourself?!"

Her friend laughed, embarrassed. "Oh, no no no. Sorry, guess I never told you." He scratched his head. "All those stories I've told, all those monsters I took down, I couldn't have done any of it without a lot of help from my friends."

The redhead shot up out of her seat with a shout.

"What! Mr. Vanroe, you have friends?! Why haven't I met them yet?!"

He waved his hands, trying to calm the girl.

"Ariel, settle down, settle down, and might I add that I certainly do have friends." She finally sat down, and stared intently at Vanroe. The old man took a breath, then let it out. "We split up a while back, but I can tell you about them. My friends were… amazing. Jacen, our leader, was always able to stop any fights almost before they started. He was a paladin y'see, so he couldn't lie, and I mean ever. Our cleric, Ardin, had an uncanny ability to tell when any of us were sick or hurt, even when we didn't know ourselves, and he would always threaten us if we tried to get out of treatment, and oh, did we get hurt a lot.' He laughed as he reminisced. 'Then there's our archer, Merri. Sweetest thing I ever met, but when her friends were on the line, she could fight like a demon."

Ariel looked confused. "Wait, hold on, what were you and your friends doing that got you hurt so much?"

Vanroe slapped his head. "I can't believe it! I must be slipping in my old age, if I didn't tell you already. My friends and I… We were adventurers. We traveled across the country as friends, and if there's something that needed doin', an' if someone was willing to pay us, we'd get it done, fast as we could. I've done all sorts of stuff in my time, mostly fightin' monsters, but I believe the common saying is 'If you can't do it yourself, hire an adventurer.'"

Ariel's eyes were nearly sparkling. She jumped out of her seat and almost fell, but caught herself just in time. "TEACH ME!" she nearly shouted.

Vanroe's hands went up to cover his ears. "Ow, watch your volume, kid. Come again?"

Ariel took a breath, then let it out. "Would you… please… teach me... how to be an adventurer like you?!"

The door slammed open, startling the occupants of the room so much that Ariel tripped and fell on her rear. "OH NO YOU WON'T!" A young triton in his late teens strode through the doorway, brow furrowed.

"Ziris!" Ariel gasped. She clambered to her feet, looking sheepish. "Hey, big brother… what are you doing here?"

Ziris narrowed his sea-blue eyes at his sister. "Don't try to change the subject, Ariel. Why did you sneak out alone again? Father was worried sick when we couldn't find you anywhere. This was the last place I thought to look. Really, why do you have to be so sporadic all the time?"

Ariel huffed. "Stop using big words! I'm Mr. Vanroe's friend, why shouldn't I visit him?"

Ziris sighed, pinching his brow. "Neither I nor Father want you to stop visiting your friend, but please, at least tell Father, so he can send a guard with you. There's more than just tritons and tiny minnows in the sea. Now, come home, Father's so worried, he'll probably send the army after us. And no, you will not be one of those uncouth people. You are a princess, whether you like it or not."

Ariel, reluctantly, bid farewell to her friend, and followed her brother down the road, off the docks, and down toward the gleaming city of Nuriptus, Capital of Khalidon, and home to the tritons of the Western Sea.

In the Royal Palace of Nuriptus, a man with white hair and beard, and blue skin, which was starting to fade, revealing he was nearing the peak of his adult triton life, paced back and forth in front of an elaborately carved ivory throne encrusted with pearls and precious gems. As well as one could pace underwater, that is.

The man's fretting was interrupted by a loud knock on the great doors at the other end of the hall. A voice rang out from outside.

"King Nepris, Prince Ziris has returned with Princess Ariel!"

As the giant doors opened to let in the two royal children, the king shot forward, enveloping the two in a hug.

"Oh Ariel, I'm so happy you're safe!" Nepris said, holding his daughter at arm's length to examine her for injuries.

Ariel giggled. "Daddy, I was just visiting Mr. Vanroe! He gets lonely sometimes, remember?"

Her father chuckled softly. "I know honey, but I get worried when you're out alone, you know that." He hugged Ariel, then said "Now, it's getting late. You need to get to bed."

Nepris kissed Ariel's forehead, then carried her to her bedroom and tucked her in.

It seemed like the end of a good day, up until a guard's voice broke the silence.

"Your Majesty! I bring news!"

Nepris turned, but his expression turned serious when he saw the panic on the guard captain's face.

"Nennes? What's wrong?"

"It's _her_, sire. Ursula has escaped, and she left a message on her cell wall. It's been written down here."

Captain Nennes handed Nepris a scroll of kelp-paper. It read 'My vengeance draws near. Everything you've ever loved, I shall crush. Your kingdom, your crown, and the lives of the two you love most, all these shall be mine!'

Nepris rolled the scroll up, and stuck it in a pouch on his hip.

"Have your soldiers search the kingdom top to bottom.' Nepris ordered. 'I want the witch found before she can slip away. Also, have at least two guards at a time act as escorts for Ariel whenever she leaves the palace. She'll hate me for this, but she is not to be allowed out of the city until we find Ursula. There are too many places she could be attacked without guards noticing, and having an armed escort is too noticeable.

There is no other way. Ariel mustn't leave the sea."


End file.
